1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system, method and server. In addition, the present invention specifically relates to a system, method and server which control an execution of predetermined information processing for an information processing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various methods are proposed in order to decrease energy consumption of an information processing device such as a printer or multifunction peripheral (MFP) installed in an office.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2011-065548 discloses a method to decrease energy consumption of an entire system having plural information processing devices. In the method, each of the information processing devices has a role of either an exclusive master device or a slave device, and when one of the slave devices detects an event to transition to an active state, the roles of this slave device and a master device are reversed.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2011-051315 discloses a system which switches the roles of a master device and a slave device based on a simulation of energy consumption of an entire system, which is triggered by a state transition of an information processing device, so as to decrease the energy consumption.
In an office environment, an adequate number of the above mentioned information processing devices are installed in office areas according to the number of people (or occupants). It is desirable that such information processing devices are managed and controlled separately for each office area so as to decrease their energy consumption. However, the methods disclosed in the above-noted patent applications may not sufficiently control the information processing devices and thereby decrease their energy consumption based on their installed locations.
On the other hand, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2009-037591 discloses a method to obtain information (e.g. location information of the information processing devices) about installed locations of the information processing devices. The method controls output of image data by using location information which is obtained by an image forming device having a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. However, it is generally difficult to obtain location information by GPS in an office environment.
Japanese Patent No. 4296302 and “Quasi-Zenith Satellite System Navigation Service Interface Specification for QZSS version 1.4” provided by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency disclose a technology to obtain location information indoors with the Indoor Messaging System (IMES). The locations in which the information processing devices are installed may be found by means of the location information obtained by the IMES technology.
However, there is no conventional method to control the actions of information processing devices in an office-area by means of their location information so as to decrease their energy consumption.
An embodiment of this invention aims to control peak energy consumption of information processing devices based on locations in which the information processing devices are installed.